Other Kids' Parents (OTP)

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-29-2003
Other Kids' Parents (OTP)
7
Thu, 01-19-2006 - 8:38am

Well, I feel silly--I needed to edit the subject line, and can't do it , or else I can't figure out HOW to do it........it should be (OKP) for other kids' parents....not otp....sorry.............I feel silly

Ok, I'll preface this post with the fact that I have a phobia---I've mentioned it before, so some of this is my problem, I suppose, but my own personal phobia aside, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE LOGIC OF SOME PARENTS!!!!

Tanner had a basketball game last night. It was going to be a good GOOD game. We played our across town parochial high school freshmen! We played them last weekend and our A and B teams beat THEIR A and B team---the weekend game was a close exciting game, and we knew this would be a grudge match---on their turf.

Anyway, I digress. While sitting in the stands, we parents began to gather like normal, and chit-chat---one mom, whom I love dearly---she's so kind and just really fun--mentioned that her son LEFT SCHOOL THAT DAY VOMITING----and she hoped he'd play ok. HUH? Vomiting, and you are now letting him play, sweat, and handle the ball with all the OTHER boys? On BOTH teams? How crazy is that? Gee, thanks for sharing the 'wealth'. Don't people know that HANDS are the easiest and most common way to spread germs?

I have a HUGE fear of vomiting............it is unreasonable, but paralyzing nonetheless. Logically, I understand it is stupid, but emotionally---forget about it.....it's a lost cause. But phobias aside, why in the world would anyone allow their son that was puking (or had strep, or the respiritory flu) at noon show up at a game at 6? Let the poor boy rest and recuperate for one, and DON'T SHARE THE GERMS secondly!

Just a really big beef of mine.................sorry for venting.

We lost by the way. Too bad.

Shels




Edited 1/19/2006 8:42 am ET by shels2003
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-20-2005
Thu, 01-19-2006 - 10:24am

I completely agree with you. This is a real good way to infect the entire team. It is also a excellent way to hurt her son. If he's been vomitting, he is probably a little dehydrated and playing ball will only make that worse.

In our school system, if a child is absent for all or part of the day due to illness, they are not allowed to participate in extracurricular activities. That's a school system policy so I'm sort of surprised at the coach allowing this child to play.

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-29-2003
Thu, 01-19-2006 - 10:31am

Isn't it 'funny' how coaches and staff seem to 'overlook' things like that when it is one of the best 'B' team players? This boy is both an A and B team player---the only one---so he's one of the best on the B team. Besides, I suppose there is always the possiblity that the coach had no clue the boy even left school----there's about 700 kids in the 9th grade class----

Oh well----it's all part of life, but so aggrivating.........this family is SUPER nice, so I know that no ill will was intended, but I sure wish people would THINK a little more.

Shels

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-20-2005
Thu, 01-19-2006 - 11:10am

Oh I know. And some people are going to read your post and think that parents are probably those pushy sports parents that don't "care" about their kids. When in reality, it's probably that the kid whined and wanted to play and convinced mom that he was fine - it was just something he ate.

I must say that I've fallen prey to that from DD but never from throwing up or anything that could be contagious. I really had to watch her when she was recovering from a shoulder injury. She wanted to pitch so bad and hadn't been released. She whined before every practice and game that this would good for her arm. She would just throw a few fast balls - no curves, rises, drops, etc - just plan ol' fast balls. If I turned my back for a minute on her during warm ups, she would be starting her warm up drills.

She actually convinced the doctor to let her start throwing a few weeks early. The doctor told she should be a lawyer b/c she's so persuasive. So I truly understand where that mom MIGHT have been coming from. But I also agree with you, that kid could have infected the whole team or gotten dehydrated and would up in worse shape himself.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-14-1999
Thu, 01-19-2006 - 12:53pm
Actually- I quite agree with you. I know our HS has a rule that if on a game day your child was absent or had to leave sick- they cannot participate in any after school activity- so I know if this had happened at our school- that kid would not have played - no matter what his mother thought!
Kathy
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-29-2003
Thu, 01-19-2006 - 1:26pm

I don't know the details of how the boy came about playing---whether it was him that insisted (although parental rule should prevail) or if the parents wanted him to try to play--I didn't ask.........by then it was a moot point.......everyone had already been together, handled the ball, etc.........so any damage was on its way to being done......

I just personally would have insisted my kid stay home........regardless of what the coach or kid or ANYONE may have wanted (issue #2--they have a game Sat in another state--about 2.5 hrs from us---if any of the other boys catch this, then there goes the game as well).............but again, you have to understand my absolute and complete paralyzing TERROR where throwing up is concerned, so my feelings are magnified by that---I'd have been just as concerned for everyone's overall health if it were another illness as well, but probably not nearly as much as the stomach flu.....ugh....I can't bear the thought----see it's a chain reaction---if my son gets it, then I may get it, and that is where the horror lies----I don't love puke or anything, but I could deal with messes, or whatever if I weren't so terrified of getting it myself. Luckily I have an awesome hubby that handles that portion of child rearing.

I also wholeheartedly believe that people just don't think---think that an illness may impact someone else..........or that illnesses like that are so easily passed---or that he hadn't puked in a few hrs, so he must be ok.........I don't think there was any ill will or any demand to perform from the parents.......just simple not thinking how one illness may impact over 50 kids!! OH well, can't change it now.......just get to sit and wait and worry! Ah, the life of a worrier!! haha

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 01-19-2006 - 2:01pm

My middle son went through a stage where he couldnt eat before baseball games or he would vomit. Over the years, I knew of 2 other boys who had this issue-one was often seen with his head in the trash can at the ball park before ANY game.

His parents were very gung ho and, I'll be honest enough to admit that the year OUR son had his stomach issues, we were too involved with the politics of sports as well.

I associate vomiting with stress and non-contagious food issues before I do an illness

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-29-2003
Thu, 01-19-2006 - 2:48pm

Yes, I can see where nerves and stress and eating can cause stomach upset before or during a game..........but this boy was sick at school and left right before the noon hour and slept all day, got up and played ball. He looked absolutely gray---so my assumption was illness--now had they run to a drive thru and he gulped a meal down, and then was sick right before or during play---that would be understandable. But my uneducated guess would put him in the sick category not the nervous one........

And who knows why the boy was sick, or why he played-----but illness of any sort can be truly dangerous----what if the illness was different? And a kid with type A respiritory flu played ball and infected a kid with athsma? I mean it just seems like common courtesy to NOT bring sick kids to schools, daycare and public places, just like it is in poor form (IMHO) to go to work or family functions being ill...........

I was just venting, really---there is no way to get away from illness or infected people....heck, even a shopping cart is chock full of yukky stuff! And as I tried to make clear, my own opinions are totally skewed by my own personal 'issues' with throwing up........so my reactions to that particular illness are much stronger than someone elses.

I just hope that the other kids don't get sick, or there won't be a game on Sat........which would be upsetting to the boys too (maybe not to the parents that have to drive 2.5 hrs each way......haha)

Thanks for letting me rant---somehow it helps to 'voice' my jangled nerves.......

Shels